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Personal Testimonies

From families:

“I want to express my warmest thanks to DCIP for your efforts in alleviating the pain of my son, my family, and of the other families I met in the Israeli military courts. I appreciate your contribution in both commuting my son’s sentence and in his eventual release. Thanks especially to Adnan and Abu Mahmoud, the two DCIP lawyers who worked on his case, for achieving better results than we could have expected, and for calling us constantly throughout my son’s detention to reassure us and visiting my son in prison to reassure him, too. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and best wishes for you all.”

“I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to DCIP for your efforts to follow up on my son’s case from the moment he was arrested by Israeli forces until his release. I thank our lawyer on the case, Adnan, for his continuing efforts on the case and for calling and checking-in with us. I appreciate your work to monitor and defend children’s rights throughout Palestine.”

-Bassam Ghanem (Father of child detained by Israeli forces)

“We have such gratitude and appreciation for DCIP, for taking care of our son, Mohammad, and for helping to secure his release as soon as possible from Israeli military detention. You do your work sincerely, and for that reason the services you provide for people will always remain in their heart. We appreciate your support of our son and other children, and your constant work to challenge oppression, occupation and increase protection of human rights. We thank you once again for performing your duty with great care and attention.”

- Family of child detained by Israeli forces (Nablus)

From children:

“My experience with DCIP, as a member of the Child Council, was very useful and interesting. Being involved in DCIP activities, attending training courses on child rights, and participating in other national advocacy events was empowering. I met children from different places and various social and cultural backgrounds, which gave me the opportunity to better understand life and the realities for children within Palestinian society.”

- Zeina N., 15 (Member of DCIP Child Council, Nablus)

“DCIP taught me how to protect our rights and the rights of other children. As part of DCIP's Child Protection Team, we monitor and document cases of child violations - mainly detention and physical abuse. We visit these children, document what happened to them, and then we send the affidavits to the DCIP office, which follows-up with them. Getting involved with DCIP taught me a lot about my own rights. I owe a lot of thanks and appreciation to Hashem. He worked closely with us and helped to raise our own awareness of our rights and how to defend them. He was always there, ready to help and support us.”

- Ebaa W., 15 (Member of DCIP Child Protection Team, Hebron)

From international partners and staff:

“Being arrested as a child is, undoubtedly, a highly traumatic experience. It’s even worse when there are no objective reasons for the arrest, and when the child cannot contact their family or seek support. The rate of this type of arbitrary detention of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities is unacceptably high. When children’s rights are violated, it generates a sense of injustice and rebellion. This is why the work of DCIP - one of the strongest, if not the strongest, DCI national sections in the world - is so important. As long as governments do not fully respect their duties towards the rights of the child, we will need organizations such as DCIP to be our watchdogs of democracy and human rights.”

- Benoit Van Keirsbilck, President, DCI-Belgium

“I had the privilege of being with DCIP at the beginning, and seeing it grow, develop a clear vision and humanitarian mission, and become a united and cohesive family...I have seen the joy and smiles on the faces of our children, their hope and determination for a better future. This enhances my love for the organization and strengthens my will and determination to give more so that we can protect this growing hope.”